Rotary engine.



B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-18. 1912.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR 6;? Allow) B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 18, 1912.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915. 4, SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. I VENTOR WWI/$7 Attorney COLUMBIA 0-, WASHINGTON D c B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. 1912.

1,151,430, Patented Aug. 24,1915.

HEETS-SHEET 4.

BENJAMIN H. ALVEY, OF ELIZABETI-ITOWN, KENTUCKY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 18, 1912. Serial No. 737,413.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN l-l. ALvnY,

increase the efficiency of engines of this type,

by providing means of most satisfactory character for the operation of the rotary abutment at proper times in the revolutions of the rotor and for effectively locking said abutment against forward or retrograde movement at other times.

Other purposes and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the hereinafter description of the preferred embodiment thereofa In the accompanying drawings illustrating said preferred embodiment and wherein like characters of reference denote like parts in the several views: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an engine having two rotors or pistons mounted on a common shaft. Fig. .2 is a side elevation of the operating mechanism of the engine, the casing being shown in section to disclose said mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a vertical transverse section on the line 4it of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detailrepresentation of the back stop for the rotary abutment.

The present invention is preferably,

though not essentially, embodied in an engine having a plurality of rotors, and, therefore, it is exemplified in an engine having two rotors, this being a very desirable numher.

The casing embodies chambers of appropriate number, size and relative location for the operative parts which are to be incased. In the present exemplification, there are chambers A and B for the rotors A and B, respectively, chambers C and D for the rotary abutments O and D respectively, and a chamber E for various operating elements hereinafter more particularly set forth. There is also a steam-chamber F arranged between the chambers A and B and having through steam-inlet ports f and f, respectively. The chambers Aand B also have exhaust ports a and Z).

G designates the main shaft of the engine. This shaft extends through the chambers A, E and B and has suitable bearings in the walls thereof. It also preferably has a bearingin the chamber E, the latter bearing being marked H. This bearing preferably is arranged at about the longitudinal-center of the chamber E, and has one or more oil passages k whose ends open into the compartments 6, e of the chamber E, said compartments being arranged on opposite sides of the bearing. In practice, the chamber E contains oil and serves as a reservoir therefor, whereby the operating parts mounted therein run in oil and hence are effectively lubricated.

The rotors A and B arefixedly secured to I the shaft Gand communicate motion thereto. Each is of the usual or any suitable con-- struction, comprising a body 10 and a pro jection or piston head 11.

The abutments C and D are mounted respectively onshaft I and J, having confronting inner ends journaled in suitable bearings at K, preferably mounted on top of the steam chamber F. The portions of the shafts between the chambers A and B are preferably incased, as shown at K. Each abutment has an appropriate number of radiating arms or vanes 12 which extend into the pathof the pistonsll a distance which causes, the particular vane which is operating as an abutment to make contact with the circumference of the body 10 of the rotor, so as to prevent leakage of steam thereby while the piston 11 is receiving the force of steam, under pressure.

Each of the abutments is positively operated'at predetermined times by the means hereinafter described, and each is locked against movement at other times by a sliding stop 13 and a back stop 15 which are normally projected into the path of travel of the arms or vanes 12 preferably in such position that one stop will engage the forward surface of one arm or vane while the other stop will engage the rearward surface of the next succeeding arm or vane. They are movable out of said path in order to PatentedAug. 24., 1915., f

communication with the latter permit the abutment to be turned. The inlet ports 7" and f are controlled by slide-valves 17 and 18, respectively. V I

The rotary abutments Cand"D,the sliding lock stops 13 and the slide valves 17 and 18 are operated positively, at predetermined times in the travel of the pistons 11, from the portion of the main shaft G mounted in the chamber E, said portion of the main.

shaft being provided with suitable elements,

1 as eccentrics, cams, or the like, having portions eccentric to their axes, which operate appropriate mechanism for transmitting properly timed movements. to the-several parts named. A most desirable and, therefore the )referred means forthis ur ose will nowbe described. I

Fixedly mounted on the portion of the main shaft G within the chamber E are a series of eccentrics, one for each sliding valve'17, 18, one for each sliding lock stop 13 and one for each rotary abutment-shaft I, J. In the present exemplification of the invention there are six of said eccentrics shown, and they are marked 19, 20, 21, 22, '23 and 24 respectively. Those illustrated are of the style which are associated with eccentric straps engaging the peripheral surfaces thereof. The eccentrics 19 and 20 operate the sliding valves 17 and 18, the lower ends of said valvesbeing suitably connected, as by the pivots'25 and 26 to the eccentric straps 19 and 20*, respectively.

The eccentrics 21 and 22 operate the sliding lock stops13, said lock-stops being provided with racks 14 which are engaged by gears 27 and 28 fixed on oscilla'toryshafts 29 and 30. These shaftsare provided with crank.

arms 31 and which are connected by links 33 and 34 with the upper ends of levers orv eccentric rods 35 and 36, whose lower ends are suitably connected to, the eccenri'c straps 21 and 22, respectively. Each lever or rod 35', 36 is fulcrumed between its ends upon a bracket 37, said bracket hav ing a projection 88 which extends into an elongated slot 39 in the lever or rod and serves as pivot for the latter- The eccentries 28 and 24 operate the rotary abut ,ments C and D. The shafts I and J of said abutments are provided with star wheels 40 and 41 which are keyed thereon, respectively. The radial arms or teeth, 40 41 of the star wheels are engaged by inward projections 42 43 from the upper ends of arms or levers 42, 48 which are suitably connected with the eccentric straps 23 and 24 respectively. It will be understood that the radial arms or teeth of the star wheels correspond in number and position with "the radial arms or vanes of the abutments and that the abutment shafts are intermittently moved one step at each rotation of themain shaft. The arms or levers 42 and 4 teilrlt r ughi i abl guid s .44, 45

spring out behind said arm or vane as soon as the latter has passed, so as to prevent retrograde movement of the abutment under the pressure of the incoming steam.

In practice, the parts are so correlated that the induction port of each chamber is closed when the piston associated therewith is passing from the exhaust port to said induction port, during which time the sliding lock stop of the abutment associated with said piston is fully retracted and the abutment is. turned, said abutment pressing its back stop 15' out of the way and said back stop automatically springing out to lock the abutment against retrograde'movement when the slide valve commences to It will be understood-that the pistons of the rotors A and B are set in a following relation with respect to each other, being preferably set on halves, and that the slide valves 17 and 18 are moved succesively to uncover the respective ports fand f, whereby one is being closed while the other is being opened. It is preferred that the parts he so arranged that each slide valve commences to close when the piston 1n the chamber associated with said valve hasmade three-fourths of a complete revolution, in dicated at X, Fig. 4, and fully closes the induction port to said chamber somewhat before the piston has completed its revolution and covering said port until the piston has passed beyond the point at which it completes its revolution and into the next revolution, whereupon it commences to an cover the induction port and fully uncovers the same when the piston has made onefourth of one revolution.

It will be noted that in the present exemplification of the invention, the slide valves move upwardly beyond the induction ports, into offsets marked 50, 51 and that during its up and down movements in said offsets the inductionports are fully closed. The retractile movement of each lock stop may commence when the piston has reached the three-quarter place X, and the stop is preferably out of engagement with the abutment when the piston reaches the place marked Y, Fig. 4. The induction port being now closed and the abutment released, the abutment is turned andby the timeit reachesthe posie,

tion at which the arm or vane succeeding that which formerly received the steam pres.- sure has been brought into operative position, the sliding lock stop has again ad-. vanced into position to hold the abutment,

completing its advancing ,movement,fif [desired, while the induction port is being opened to its full extent. The inclined surfaces 11 of the pistons may operate to assist the eccentrics to turntheabutments, if

desired. Again, it is not wholly essential to the present invention that the entire turning movement of the abutments be accomplished while the induction ports are fully closed,

but the arrangementdescribed ispreferred for the reason that it overcomes the disadvantage of waste of steam, it being apparent that if the induction port and the exhaust port are both open while the piston is be tween the same, the inflowing, steam will flow through the exhaust port without acting upon the piston." If? desiredthe pistons 1 may have circumferential surfaces of such 7 length as to serve as cut-offs for the exhaust ports during a predetermined portion of the revolution of the pistons within which the pistons travel over the exhaust port, it being preferred in such case" that the prolonged parts be so formed that their. sides will not act as cut offs for the induction ports.

It will bev noted that the parts are positive in their action, all running parts needing oil may be effectively and economically supplied therewith, and that all parts needing to be packed may be readily and easily packed. In short, the engine therein describedis simple and eflicient in its construction, in the highest degree.

From the foregoing the purposes and ad- I vantages of the present invention and the said abutment having spaced arms or vanes, U

of means for lockingthe abutment against rotation comprising a reciprocatory stop arranged to be intermittently projected into the spaces between the arms or vanes and to prevent rotation of the abutment by on gaging the surface of the adjacent arm or vane, the said stop being also arrangedto be retracted to permit movement of the abutment, means for moving said stopinto its said projected and retracted positions at predetermined timesin the movement of the piston, and means for' turning the abutment when the stop is retracted.

2. In a rotary engine, a shaft, a rotor mounted thereon, a reciprocatorily mounted Y stop, a rotary abutment having arms or vanes spaced from each other, eccentrics on the rotor-shaft, and connections between the eccentrics and the stop and abutment, respectively, the parts being so arranged that the step will be projected into the space between a pair of arms or vanes and, will be retracted from said space at predetermined times, independently of the movement of the abutment.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary'piston, its shaft and a rotary I abutment, said abutment having spaced arms or vanes, of means for locking the abutment against rotation, said locking meanscomprising a reciprocatory stop having' teeth, a gear to engage said teeth and means for oscillating said gear at predetermined'times in the travel of the piston.

4. In ,a' rotary engine, the combination wltha rotary piston, 1ts shaft, and a rotary abutment, said abutment having spaced arms or vanes, of means for locklng the abutment against rotation", comprising a re eiprocatory stop having teeth, a rock shaft, having a gear to engage sa1d teeth and means operated from the piston shaft for, oscillating said rock shaft intermittently at predetermined times in. the travel of the piston.

'5. In a rotary engine, the a combination, -with a rotary piston, its'shaft, andla rotary abutment, said abutment having spaced arms or vanes, of means for lockingthe abutment againstvrotation, comprising a reciprocatory stop having teeth, a rock-shaft having a gear to engage said teeth, a crank arm projecting from said rock-shaft, an operative element mounted on the piston shaft and provided with a portion eccentric to its axis, and means operated by said element and connected with said crank arm for oscillating the rock-shaft at predetermined times in the travel of the piston.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston, its shaft, and a rotary abutment, said abutment having spaced arms or vanes, of means for locking the abutment against rotation, comprising a reciprocatory stop having teeth, a rock-shaft having a gear to engage said teeth, a crank arm projecting. from saidrock-shaft, an operating element mounted on the piston shaft and provided with a'piston eccentric to its axis, a rod having connection-with said element and provided with a slot between itshends,

a fixed pin extending into said slot, and a link connecting the rod with the crank arm.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination of I a rotary. piston, a rotary abutment having,

spaced arms or vanes, shafts for the piston and abutments respectively, means connecting the abutment shaft and piston shaft, front and back stops, the former of which engages the forward'surface of one arm or vane and'the other engages the rear surface of an arm or vane, and means through which steam is admitted between a pair of arms or vanes. I

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston, a rotary abutment having spaced arms or vanes, and means for rotating the abutment at predetermined times in the travel of the piston, of means for locking the abutment against rotation atother times, comprising a slidable stop' and a spring-pressed stop respectively arranged to engage opposite surfaces of sue cessively arranged arms or vanes, and means for positively reciprocating the slidable stop at predetermined times in the travel of the piston, the spring-pressed stop being arranged to be pressed out of the path of the arms or vanes by the latter when the abutment is being rotated byits rotating means.

In a rotary engine, a rotary piston, its

shaft, and a'rotary abutment having arms or vanes, and means for intermittently turning the rotary abutment at predetermined times in the movement of the piston, comprising a wheel fixed on the abutment shaft and provided with projections corresponding in number and location with the arms ,or vanesofthe abutment, an operating element mounted on the'piston-shaftand provided-with a", portion eccentric to its axis,

a rod having connection with said element and having an'end arranged to engage the teeth of sa1d wheel, a guide for sa1d rod,

and a spring for pressing the rod toward the wheel. I

10. In. a rotary engine, a casing having an induction port and an exhaust port, a rotary, piston in said casing, a piston-shaft, a rotary abutment in said casing, having arms or vanes, an abutment-shaft, a wheelon the abutment-shaft, having teeth corresponding to'the arms or vanes of the abutment, a

locking'means for the abutment, comprising a reciprocatory stop, a rack connected to said stop and an oscillatory shaft having a gear connected with said rack, a reciprocatory valve for controlling the. induction port, and means operated; from the piston shaft for reciprocating said] valve, oscillating the oscillatory shaft and turning the wheel of the abutment-shaft, intermittently,

at predetermined times-in the movement of thepiston, V

V 11. In a rotaryengine, a casing having an induction port and an exhaust port, a rotary piston in said casing, a piston-shaft, a ro-' tary abutment in said casing, having arms tons.

or vanes, an abutment shaft, a wheel on the determined times in the movement of the piston, said means comprising operating elements mounted on the piston shaft and having portions eccentric to their axes, a connection between one of said elements and the valve, means actuated from another of said elements for turning the wheel of the abutment shaft intermittently, a rack connected to the reciprocatory stop, an oscillatory shaft having a gear engaging said rack, and means connecting the oscillatory shaft with another one of said elements.

12; In a rotary engine, casings spaced from each other and each provided with a rotor chamber and anabutinent chamber, said casings having induction ports leading to the rotor chambers, a shaft extending through said rotor chamber and across the space between the same, rotors fixed on said shaft and mounted in the rotor chambers,

rotary abutments in the abutmentchambers, valves for controlling the induction ports and means mounted on the portion of the, shaft between the casings for positively operating the valves and abutments at, predetermined times in the movements of the pistons. I y

13. In a rotary engine, casings spaced from each other and. each provided with a rotor chamber and an abutment chamber, a

steam chest arranged between said casings, inductlon ports leading from said steam chest to the rotor chambers, a shaft extending through said rotor chambers and across the spacebetween the same, rotors fixed on said shaft and mounted in the rotor chambers, rotary abutments in the abutmentchambers, shafts for said abutments, having bearings upon the steam chest, valves for controlling the induction ports and means mounted on the portion of the shaft between the casings for positively operating the valves and abutment-shafts at predetermined times in the movements of the pis- 14.111 a. rotary engine, casings spaced from each other and each provided with a rotor chamber and an abutment chamber,

said casings having induction ports leading I to the rotor chambers, means forming an oil chamber, between said casings, a shaft extending through said rotor-chambers and oil'chambers, a bearing for said shaft in the-'oil'chamber,rotors, fixed on saidshaft tary abutments in the abutment chambers, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set reelprocatory valves for controlhng the 111- my hand 1n presence of tWo subscrlbmg duction ports, and means mounted on the Witnesses.

portion of the shaft Within the oil chamber BENJAMIN H. ALVEY. 5 for positively operating the valves and \Vitnesses:

abutlnents at predetermined times in the WV. CUTTINGAMM,

movements of the pistons. L. K. ENGLISH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five oentseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Petente, Washington, D. Q. 

